The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-04-19

him there without food or drink to
die death OF untold agony.
All that day we bowled along under
the stiff nor'west breeze, with every
sail set and drawing, and Bermuda
was far astern when came on deck to
stand the early night watch. The
wind was still fair, but somewhat
lighter than during the day. The
glass was falling somewhat, but
not rapidly enough to warrant
us in shortening sail. 1t
was q very dark night, and the sough
OF the water along the side OF tho ship
as she rushed along under the press OF
her bellying canvas, made a mournful
accompaniment to the solemn boom
ing ofthe wind through the rigging.
The men were scattered in groups OF
two or three about the deck, talking
in undertones, and occasionally glapc-
ing at the weather, which had begun
to look q trine threatening. l was
lying upon the carpenters bench think
ing over the events OF the day, when J.
noticed faint flash OF lightning far
out ahead OF the vessel. The wind
astern had been dying gradually, and,
aware OF the squally tendency OF
the weather in those ATTITUDES, |
mounted the rigging and stepped into
the larboard boat to take good OBJ
servation OF the horizon for'ard.
Soon there was bright flash OF light
ning-then another-and finally the
sky ahead was almost continuous
blaze OF light Apprehensive OF an APP
preaching squall and knowing that to
be taken aback by one with @ full
spread OF canvas on the vessel meant
destruction, | FASTENED below to con-
suit the captain. descended in to the
cabin and found him busy over his
log Mt the dining-room table. He was
seated directly under the pinnacle so
that the light from the swinging lamp
above shone directly down upon him.
/ spoke to him OF my appre.
tensions as to the threatened
squat, but he did not seem to
heed me. Raising my voice repeated
what / had said, and as he looked up
! saw that he had been drinking heavi-
ly. He forbade with an oath my sug.
gestion to shorten sail, adding that he
meant to be "on the whaling grounds
or in hell by the morning"
Seeing that it was useless to argue
with him in his then condition | turn
ed to go, when an impulse that | can
not explain caused me to glance up
ward. Peering down through the
glass.roofed binnace | distinctly saw
a human lace. The hands were curv-
ed round each side OF it so as to
concentrate the light upon the
captain as he sat at the table,
and O pair OF cleaning eyeballs
glared wolfshly through the fingers
into the cabin below. ! gazed fixedly
upward for moment, thinking that
perhaps my Imagination was playing
a trick upon me-but no, there was
the face, distinct, uncanny, motions
less. Deeming it an intrusion on the
part OF one of the men upon our pri-
vacy, | FASTENED to the door and
sprang up the companion way, eager
to surprise the intruder. was on the
deck in an instant, and to my amaze
,ment saw that, except the man at the
wheel there was no one abaft the
mainmast. approached the wheels
man and, with assumed carelessness,
asked who it was that had just lett
the pinnacle. With q look OF surprise
that was evidently genuine he an
swered that since / had gone below not
a man had been aft but himself |
strolled for'ard, but the men were
lounging about as usual, some spin
ming yarns, Others gazing listlessly
over the side, but apparently just as
they were before / had left the deck.
remember that one OF them, an Azore
Islander, was grooming away in low
voice at one of the chants peculiar to
his people, and / never heard that air
in after days without being reminded
OF the horrors OF that night.
Concluding that the mysterious face
at the pinnacle was a creature OF my
own imagination, l again took my
seat on the vice bench, determined to
keep a sharp eye upon the weather,
which by this time had grown very
threatening. A darker night | never
saw. The ship was rushing through the
water at the average rate OF about
eight knots, leaving long trail OF
phosphorescent light that cleaned far
in her wake. The wind was no longer
steady, but rose and fell in irregular
gusts, causing the vessel to run al.
most upon an even keel at times, and
then to keel over and boil along with
chain plates dragging in the water.
Great flashes OF light lit up the scene
at intervals, showing massive cloud
bank risingrapidly almost dead ahead.
Nv hoat steerer. who had been anx-